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Huso dauricus
Huso dauricus (''Kaluga)' Kingdom: '''Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acipenseriformes Family: Acipenseridae Genus: Huso Species: Huso dauricus Environment: milieu, climate zone, depth range, distribution range: Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous; depth range 0 - 50 m. Temperate; 10°C - 20°C; 55°N - 43°N. Distribution: Asia: Amur basin, ascending far up to the Argun, Shilka, and Onon. In the Amur Liman to the Amur estuary in the Sea of Okhotsk. Adults inhabit some lakes, like Orel Lake above Nikolaevsk. Also in the Ussuri and Sungari, China. International trade restricted (CITES II, since 1.4.98; CMS Appendix II). Four populations are recognized in the Amur River basin: one lives in the estuary and coastal brackish waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and Sea of Japan, second is found in the lower Amur, third in the middle Amur, and fourth in the lower reaches of the Zeya and Bureya rivers in the Russian river banks. Two ecological morphs are present in the estuary population, the 'freshwater' and the 'brackish' water forms. Size, weight, age: Max. length: 5.60 m; weight: 1.0 t; age: 80 years Short description: The Kaluga Sturgeon is a massive fish, also known as the “River Beluga.” It has a triangular head with several bony plates. Its body is an elongated fusiform body with five rows of bony scutes: dorsal with 10-16 beetles (the first is largest), two laterals (32-46 scutes) and two ventral (8-12 scutes) between rows of small bony scutes grains and rarely more large plate. Lateral scutes are smaller than the dorsal and ventral scutes. The mouth takes up the entire lower surface of the snout, it is lateral, crescent shaped and extremely large. Parts of the mouth can move to the side of the head. Under the snout and in front of the mouth there is a transverse row of four flattened laterally barbels. The inner two barbels are more anterior than the outer ones, but they are similar in length. The snout of the Kaluga Sturgeon is short and sharply pointed. It has very small eyes which are located immediately behind its nostrils. Biology: Adults inhabit rivers and lakes. Adults do not spawn every year but at least every other year. With increasing age, the spawning interval increases to three, four and more years. Feed on invertebrates in the first year then switch to juveniles of pelagic fishes, e.g., Oncorhynchus keta, at age 3 to 4 yrs., kaluga feed on adult fishes. Life cycle and mating behavior: Males spawn once in three to four years while females do every four to five years. Water temperature affects the onset of maturity of females. Females spawn a year earlier during warm years than they would during cold years. Main reference: Berg, L.S., 1962. Freshwater fishes of the U.S.S.R. and adjacent countries. volume 1, 4th edition. Israel Program for Scientific Translations Ltd, Jerusalem. (Russian version published 1948). IUCN Red List Status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (''CR)' '''CITES: Appendix II: International trade monitored CMS: Appendix II: Migratory species conserved through agreements Threat to humans: Harmless Human uses: Fisheries: commercial. Category:Acipenseridae, Sturgeons